Recipes: Thanksgiving Is In The Air-Cauliflower Mash

Happy Sunday Everyone!
Heres a new recipes for you!

Cauliflower Mash
This is a dish that I've been making for years now. Its a take on mashed potatoes- minus the carbs and calories! Its very easy to make, and doesn't take long. 5 Ingredients- GO!


Ingredients:

• 1 Large Cauliflower
• 1 Medium Onion
• Garlic (to taste)
• Greek Seasoning
• Vegetable Broth

Boil water on the stove in a large pot. Add the vegetable broth and greek seasoning.

Cut the cauliflower into small chunks, place in the boiling water.

Chop an onion up, and place as many pieces of garlic that you'd like in the pot.

Turn down the heat to about medium, so that it does not overflow.

Keep checking your cauliflower, you do NOT want it to be over cooked, but just soft enough. I find that if you let it get too cooked, it turns out watery (which is not good)

So when soft, yet still firm, drain your cauliflower in a strainer. Once water is gone, place back into your large pot. With a hand held electric blender, mix your cauliflower/onion/garlic mix until blended. 

Add more seasonings to taste, and top with anything you'd like! 

Personally, last night I put a mix of rice vinegar, kraft fat-free italian, greek seasoning, nutritional yeast flakes, and a bit of spicy brown mustard.. and maybe some salsa too. Yeah I like seasonings, what can I say- Anyhow it was delicious! 

Butter spray would be good on here as well, making it more like traditional mashed potatoes.

Each cup of cauliflower, in weight watchers points, is ZERO- FREE! So eat your heart out. I will usually count each cup as one point (considering the array of seasonings and sauces I put on it- but still this is a very low cal option) Great to bring to a thanksgiving/holiday dinner or gathering- people will love it !
( I also like to roast red pepper or zucchini with some greek seasoning in the oven, and mix this in- its so delicious!)

Next: Pumpkin pie! At 1 point per serving :D (Im just perfecting the recipe before I add it-yes there has been many "testing" nights :) yum!)

Gettin' your Drink On!

As we all know by now, its recommended we all drink our 8 glasses of water daily. So, its clear that water, and liquid in general, is beneficial to your health. But that sounds just plain boring doesn't it.

Im going to go over some of the different products I like to drink, as well as suggestions if you are to have a night out on the town, or some casual drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) so that hopefully you can make a wise choice, and not waste your calories on liquids- like I've said before, this seems just wrong! Robbery even.

Some of the following products are great for if you like to fill up on liquids, without any calories!

• Zevia- I've mentioned this product before, it is a all natural pop drink, which is made from carbonated water and stevia, which is a natural zero calorie sweetener. As a former diet-cola addict, this is definitely a good substitution, without any guilt of killing your brain with aspartame. So far, I have tried Root Beer, Cream Soda, Orange, and Cola flavours. Personally, I prefer them in that order. Root beer being the best tasting.. to Cola being the most... interesting :) Although if you go online to their website you will see they have plenty of other flavours, just haven't seen them yet :). Once again, ZERO CALORIES!
• Coffee and Tea- Wether you are a coffee drinker or not, this is a wonderful drink in many forms. For someone who goes out for coffee, what I will do when I hit up starbucks, is get a plain decaf coffee ( yes I am a decaf-er) and I add 2 packets of stevia(or splenda) with cinnamon and nutmeg! If you feel like something a bit more tasty, get a pump of their sugar-free syrups! They come in all sorts of flavours from vanilla to caramel dolce, and zero calories! So, instead of getting a 500 calorie mocha chocolate caramel frappucino ( or something along those lines) just stick to the basics, and spice it up with some zero calorie flavourings!
• Cascade Ice sparkling water. You can buy these in the US and Canada, they are 4 calories per bottle, and its a really nice treat. Tons of different fruity flavours, such as blueberry watermelon and strawberry lemonade, they are great for filling you up when you feel like snacking! 
• I also like Vitamin Water ZERO- you can get all those vitamin water varieties in the US that are ZERO CALORIES! While up here in Canada they are the "10 calorie" version. So you see where Im going with this one, there are plenty of flavoured water products which make drinking water not so bad!
• Ocean Spray makes "diet" juice now- yes its sweetened with splenda, but if you are seeking a low-cal option for juice, go with this- 5 calories/cup (if you purchase in the US) or 10 calories/cup if you purchase in Canada - don't ask me why the difference, I'm just an innocent bystander!- They come in a variety of flavours as well, cranberry, pomegranate, blueberry, etc.
• As for alcoholic beverages, my motto is stick to the basics. My drink of choice is vodka. Vodka ( or any other hard liquor, is 2 points per shot. This is as low as alcohol goes, points wise. The other option that is the same points value, is wine, at 2 points per half cup serving.  Now if you are on the WW new points plus program, I believe the alcoholic points is 4 per shot. Hence why I tend to prefer the old program :p
• As far as drinking alcohol goes, there are a variety of drinks you can make that do not add on to your 2 points per drink limit. Sugar-free red bull (only 10 calories/can) diet cranberry, diet coke/any other diet pop, can all serve as a great mixer.

More will be added to the drink list Im sure, just wanted to get something on here for you all before the weekend! So when your at the bar, you know what to order now! 

Vodka Diet!! (or thats what I'll be doing :), enjoy your weekend everyone!

Recipes: Blueberry Apple Mini-Muffins!

So these are pretty amazing.

Muffins- you might think, these delicious, huge breakfast-type delights, filled with things such as fruit, what could be the harm? Let me tell you my friends. A HUGE amount of calories and fat. The average muffin at your local Tim Hortons will run you anywhere from 400-500 calories, and between 13-23 grams of fat!! Basically, stay away from the muffin man.

Not that I was ever a huge muffin person, I do enjoy treat-like things. As I cannot eat wheat or dairy, muffins were usually out of the question. Until I got creative!

Here is the recipe for the DELICIOUS (my taste-testers will vouch for this) mini muffins. So moist and delicious, virtually FAT-FREE, and you get to eat multiple, without any guilt!!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Flour * (see below)
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 Cup Apricot Purée (I buy the jarred baby food variety)
• 1 Medium Banana, Peeled and Mashed
• 1 Cup Blueberries
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 3-5 packets of Stevia

What you'll need:

• Mini Muffin Baking Trays
• Mini Muffin Silicone Tray Liners
• Mixing Bowl
• Spoon

*For the flour, of course you can use any type you prefer, but as I have wheat allergies, I choose to use either "Bob's Red Mill" brand "All purpose baking flour- Gluten Free" or the same brand carries a great Quinoa Flour. These two varieties of flour contain only 1 gram of fat and 100 calories/serving, so the points described for the recipe are based on the calories associated with these two flour varieties.

Preheat oven to 375 F (this can vary from oven to oven, I usually tend to cook at a bit higher temperature myself, around 400 F.)

Mix your dry ingredients first: your flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and stevia in a bowl. 

Mix in your apricot purée, applesauce, mashed banana, and blueberries. 

Mix together well, and evenly disperse the (delicious, trust me) batter in the muffin liners.

There should be enough batter for 24 mini-muffins.

Place in the oven for 15 minutes.

*NOTE* The time that this takes varies greatly, sometimes I'll turn my oven off after 15 minutes and let them sit in there for a while longer. The reason being is that there is applesauce instead of any butter, or oil,  or eggs. It takes a bit longer than normal muffins to stick together, but it will.

Just continuously poke the muffins with a knife, until the knife comes out clean. When it does, you know its ready.

You do not HAVE to use the silicone muffin tray liners, but I find that you can (carefully) peel them off of the muffin, and they come out MUCH better than the paper variety which likes to take a chunk of your mouth watering muffin off with it! 

I have 2 mini muffin trays (12 per tray) and a package of the silicone muffin liners, both from a store called "Ming-Wo" in Capilano Mall in North Vancouver. This place has tons of great cooking gadgets! Although Im sure you could get these things in most cooking stores. Keep in mind you COULD if you wish make 12 regular sized muffins instead of 24 mini ones, I just prefer quantity :)

Now, for the juicy details:

Yields: 24 Mini-Muffins

Points Per: 2 Mini-muffins..... ONE POINT! yes thats 1 point.(around 50 cals) And if you choose to make 12 regular size muffins, its 1 point each :) Non-Fat, Fruit Filled, Healthy, What else could you ask for?  

(Did I mention two mini muffins for one point??!!)

Hope you guys like these! Try them out and let me know what you think! Have a great night :)

Recipes: Quinoa Salad!

Hey Everyone!
I hope your all having a great week so far. I must apologize for the lack of updates so far this week... The homework associated with school has had to come first! But once I get that under control, I hope to have at least a BIT more free time to update more frequently on here :)

A recipe Im going to add today is one that is easy to make, and extremely healthy.
Quinoa. You've likely heard of it by now, its a super healthy food pronounced "Keen-wah".
This grain has protein, and you can buy big bags of it (organic may I add) at Costco for about $9.00! Really recommend this one if you haven't tried it before, it has a bit of a nuttier taste than rice, so its a nice change.

Quinoa salads are great to make for yourself, or to bring along to a party. Any time I have a family gathering or have to bring  a dish to an event, I usually always bring this. Not only does everyone love it, its so healthy, and it allows ME something to be able to eat while Im out socializing, and I know exactly how many points it is.
Whether its this dish or another, I always recommend bringing something that you know your comfortable eating, because really, you never can be sure what the points could be in grandmas lasagna!

Although you can of course change the quantities/items in this recipe, it serves as a guideline (points-wise)
Bell Peppers, grated zuccini, cooked beets, anything that can add a lot of colour would work great too :)

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Cooked Quinoa
• 2 Cups Grated Purple Cabbage
• 1 Cup Finely Sliced Carrots (I prefer to brown these a bit with the onion and garlic)
• 2 Cup Finely Sliced Cucumber
• 1 Medium Onion (sautéed)
• Garlic (sautéed)
• 1 Can Baby Corn, Cut.
• 1 Cup Coarsely Grated Jicama
• 1/2 cup Edemame Beans
• Green onion

For the dressing, again you can choose whatever you prefer, but to save calories I prefer:

• Greek Seasoning
• Lemon Juice
• Kraft Fat-Free Italian
• Soy Sauce
• Rice or Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions:

Cook the Quinoa according to the directions on the bag. While this is cooking, begin to grate/cut your vegetables. Also, if you should choose to sauté the onion, garlic and carrots, you can do this as well. Once everything is cooked, chopped, and cut, its simple. MIX! Add your dressings and sauces, and don't be shy on the seasonings. Add whatever herbs and spices you enjoy, and this salad is a great healthy option to have around the house for lunches, or just something readily available for when your on the go!

This amount tends to make a large bowl full (perfect for a pot-luck, or multiple meals for the week). The total points for this amount is 16 points. The first thing that I will do when I make something in large quantities (to help take the temptation of eating more than you need) is to pack it up in containers, and store in the fridge. As this amount is 16 points, I like to divide equally. So what I will do is get 8 equal sized containers, and divide the Quinoa Salad evenly. That way, each serving size you know is 2 points each. Perfect! 

Next... 1 point blueberry/apple muffins.. ( did I mention you get TWO mini-muffins for 1 point) 

Stay tuned!

The Essentials.

Good Morning Healthy People!

Im going to start, and continuously add, to this list of my go-to, always stock up on items. These are the things that I keep around because they are low-calorie, therefore low in points, and they are versatile for many different recipes.

Seasonings/Sprays/Etc

• 0 Calorie "Butter Flavour" Oil Spray.

Okay so for this one, I prefer to buy Western Family brand, as I've tried many but they somehow don't quite compare to the consistency, and flavour of this one. Also, beware that some are not 0 Calories, so make sure you always read your nutrition labels! (anyone on weight watchers knows this is second nature, but others may not be used to reading ingredients and calories) I will use this spray for tons of different cooking, for example,  when I fry up my eggs/omlets, for when Im roasting any kind of potatoes/squash/vegetables in the oven, I will coat them in some of this rather than regular olive oil, I also use this on popcorn. What I do is spray the popcorn with this, which allows the spices and different things I put on popcorn, to have something to stick to! Plus its adds flavour. (I'll post some of my delicious popcorn recipes later)
So you get the idea, substitute your regular oil where you can, for this low-cal version which in my humble opinion is QUITE TASTY!

• "I Can't Believe its not Butter" Spray

So this spray is similar to the oil spray, in terms of cooking, but is oh so good for many things on its own.
First off, unfortunately this is only available in the U.S. They used to sell it here in Canada, but all of a sudden stopped. When I looked into it, there where tons of people who had noticed it was gone, and for some reason discontinued in Canada. But, like I said, if you do travel down to the states or live in the states, you can easily purchase at most grocery stores.
So one thing I like eating in the mornings when I'm rushed is a piece of rye toast. But as rye toast isn't the most delicious variety of breads, it needs some help. I love spraying this butter spray on my toast instead of butter. As mentioned, I can't eat dairy, and yes, this product DOES have dairy, but the amount is so minuscule that it has never bothered me allergies wise. But just a heads up for any other people who have dairy allergies. PS This one is also good sprayed on popcorn!

• Smuckers Sugar-Free Jam

This jam is the best! When you look for Jam, most of them are so high in calories for such a small amount (usually the serving sizes for jam is 1 tbsp) but I have  a general rule of thumb for jam: as long as its 20 calories or less, its considered "free" as soon as its up to 25 calories, that 1 measly tbsp will cost you a point! No thanks!
So my usual that you can purchase here in Canada is the Smuckers No Sugar Added, Wildberry Flavor. Why the wild berry? well it has one gram of fibre in it, which helps bring it down on the points scale from being right on the edge of 0 and 1 point, to definitely under 1. (Sorry if this doesn't make much sense yet to you non-weight-watchers readers).
So I thought this was the best that you could do, jam-wise, until, one magical day, when i travelled down to the states( as I usually do) for grocery shopping, I found the same product, but made with Splenda, instead of Sucralose. What is the difference you ask? 1/2 the calories! So the version you see on the right, is the American, "Sugar-Free" version, which is only 10 calories/1 tbsp. Yup , so you could actually DOUBLE the amount of jam (2tbsp)  vs. (1tbsp) of the canadian version. Just sayin'! Plus it comes in a variety of flavours, and they're so delicious! So as I mentioned above, I like to eat my rye bread, and this is also something that I will put on my bread, without adding any points. *Jam PLUS the butter spray makes an amazing combo!)

• Club House Greek Seasoning

So you may have read in a previous post, that yes, I indeed put this seasoning on just about everything! I buy this large size at Costco, where it costs about $8, but this lasts a while. This seasoning honestly is so versatile I hardly even use the other ones in my cupboard. Mind you, while on the cleanse, this one is actually out, as it has some sugar in it (a cleanse no-no) but nonetheless you need to buy this. I season my tofu noodles, eggs, salads, roasted potatos/vegetables/squash, seriously everything. If your not a huge vegetable person, trust me, I eat them all day long but they are never un-seasoned :) As most seasonings go (but of course always read the nutrition label to be sure of calories/fat/sodium etc) they are virtually free of points, as the majority are simply herbs and spices.

• Kraft Fat Free Italien Dressing

Yes, I say this about a lot of items, but this is also another dressing that I use on tons of things. To be honest, the combination of this dressing, greek seasoning, and rice vinegar, are definitely my staple! This dressing is so low-calorie, it kind of blows anything else out of the water. At only 5 calories per tbsp (thats even less than plain balsamic vinegar!) you can load up on this without it costing you a point. As it is fat-free, it serves more as a base of flavour than a rich, loaded with flavour dressing. So what I tend to do, is add this on my salads, noodles etc, and as I said (sorry for the repetition) add on my greek seasoning and rice vinegar. I use this on my roasted veggies as well. What I try to do, is get most of the flavour for my meals out of low-sodium and calorie-free herbs and spices. As we know, we all need a bit of flavour(which usually comes from something that adds moisture such as oil or sauce) so that is why this dressing is perfect. Get creative, how about some salad with chilli lime seasoning on it? Are you getting hungry yet?

• Braggs All Purpose Soy Seasoning

Similar to soy sauce, Braggs seasoning sauce is a great product. Slightly different in taste to soy sauce, it is non-fermented (which is allowable on the cleanse). You can purchase this at any health food store, but more recently at large chains such as superstore. The large bottle runs about $11, but lasts quite some time. For popcorn, I always use Braggs, as its not quite as intensely salty as soy sauce, but serves as flavourful base on popcorn, for all your seasonings to stick to! Of course, you can use this on all your cooking, in stir-frys, salads, etc.. Anywhere you want a bit of flavour! Plus, its all Natural!

• Trader Joe's Salad Dressings

Trader Joes... how do I express my love for this store. For any of you that have never been, its a grocery store chain in the U.S. closest location to me is in Bellingham, (say 30 min drive from the truck crossing) but they have them all over the U.S. Check the  Trader Joes Website  for locations. They have so much healthy, low-cal foods there, as well as inexpensive frozen items! I (Yes, including Praegers Veggie burgers at 1/2 the Canadian price!) I will use these salad dressings, when I want a change from the usual Kraft fat-free italian. These are great because they are only 1 point per 2 Tbsp, and taste delicious! The Fat-Free Balsamic is 25 calories/2 tbsp, and the Fat-Free Sesame Soy Ginger is 35 calories/2 tbsp. I LOVE using the Trader Joe's Sesame Soy Ginger dressing on my tofu noodles!

• Spices/Flavourings.

As I've mentioned, I like to use spices to add the majority of the flavour to all my foods, and spices, herbs, and extracts are something you've definitely got to have on hand. No one wants to eat vegetables and grains when they taste bland, boring and taste-less. Im the FIRST one to agree with you on that one- ITS GOTTA TASTE GOOD! So when I say spices, I mean everything and anything that you like. Some of my favourites to have on hand that are multi-purpose for many meals are: Dill, Rosemary, Thyme, Curry powder, Garam Masala, Chat Masala, Cumin, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Vanilla extract, STEVIA... the list goes on. These are great for changing up the regular. If you usually make stir frys, why not try one night a Indian inspired dish, while the next, Asian inspired! All you have to do is shake a different seasoning on.
The picture here is of a great line I've discovered called "Victorian Epicure". They have the most AMAZING seasonings, and many have NO sodium! I use them on everything, and they make some of the BEST popcorn seasonings you can even imagine! I get them at local farmers markets when they are there, but you can also call them to order. Although they are pretty expensive, I try to justify it in terms of going to starbucks twice.. you get the point.

• Club House "Indian Masala" and "Garlic Plus"

I just discovered these two spices- and as I usually just go for the Club House Greek seasoning, I am always slightly hesitant. Well, Club House has not failed me! These two are amazing! The indian masala flavour is perfect- not spicy, and just the perfect blend of all those delicious indian spices that makes its a one-stop-(or should I say shake) shop! If your not too comfortable with seasoning, this is great because you don't have to purchase each individual spice (coriander, garam masala, etc) and then throw them together and HOPE it turns out!

The garlic plus is really great too- I will be using this a lot on roasting veggies, instead of just using the greek. Its quite garlic-y, but it has some red pepper and other flavours in it ,so its not too overwhelming! I really suggest you try all these club house seasonings, maybe I'll have to pick up another variety next time- adventurous aren't I! :p

• Heinz Dill Relish

Relish- Already an item in the list below as something you should have on hand. But this, my friends, takes the cake! I just discovered it last weekend, and yes- its ZERO CALORIES! (Regular relish is not 0 cals) I found this at Target (sorry, in the states) and it is really tasty! I've been putting it as a sauce on tons of dishes because it adds so much flavour and a bit of crunch and no calories! Its much more pickle-tasting (hence, DILL relish) than regular relish, but thats part of why I love it so much! Im not sure if you can purchase it in Canada, I have not looked yet. But when you go down to the states its only about $1.79 each :) And just to keep you enlightened, Target is apparently coming to Canada, and taking over certain Zellers. So although Im sure the prices still won't be cheaper than in the states, hopefully they will bring with them all the amazing food choices that they offer in the amazing U S OF A!

In addition to these items, there are of course many other things I like to keep on hand. Here are a list of a few more low/no calorie items:

• Rice Vinegar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Stevia Packets
• Vanilla Extract
• Mustard
• Relish
• Ketchup (In moderation)
• Sour pickled onions
• Capers
• Soy Sauce
• Pickled ginger (For sushi)
• Pickles
• SALSA 
• Hot Sauce
• Pickled garlic mushrooms (trader joe's)

More to come soon, I hope this gets you started with a good base of really low-cal items that should always be around :)

Have a great day!

Fast, AND guilt-free? How you ask?

Hey all! I'll start posting some recipes in between blog posts, until I figure a better way to organize them :)

Spring Rolls! Ingredients: Rice Paper "Julienned" Veggies Low Calorie sesame ginger soy dressing (or any low-calorie dressing you like) You can purchase this rice paper from just about anywhere. I find that the smaller pieces are better, not only because you get two sheets (which means two rolls) for 45 calories, they're also easier to wrap, and eat. The filling can be any type of veggie you would like. I like to use my Julienne Peeler (a must have!) to grate up some carrots, cabbage, zucchini, and whatever else I have hanging around. Also, most grocery stores will offer pre-cut veggies of this consistency. Veggies are "free" of points, so you can really eat away. I do tend to start counting them as 1 point/cup if I have more than 1 cup. Fill your sink or a large plate with hot water. Place the rice paper in the water until it is soft. Remove (CAREFULLY) and place on a clean cloth/small towel. Fill the middle with all your veggies. For folding these, I tend to start from the bottom, fold over once, then fold both sides ( as tight as you can) and finally  roll together. The rice paper is quite sticky so will stick itself together. As for the veggies inside, you could really add whatever you like, if you want to use some Tofu Noodles  (discussed in the blog) that would work as well with the veggies. This option is just the lowest calorie. As for the dip, I would choose something asian inspired, and low calorie, such as my favourite, trader joes sesame ginger soy dressing (25 calories per tbsp) Also, presidents choice makes a great low calorie low fat peanut sauce, which I usually dilute with a bit of vinegar :) Dip, and enjoy! Veggie Burgers, in Lettuce Wraps Ingredients: 1 Dr. Praegers mexican style veggie burger. Crispy lettuce wraps (as many as you want!) Small stir fry (onion, artichokes, or any other veggies you like) Another cleanse-friendly dinner. This was truly delicious, and because its so low-cal you can eat about 15 of the things! You'll come to discover.. I like Volume! This is a twist on my usual, bean "burrito" wraps, which I will add soon. Lettuce wraps- you could purchase any regular lettuce for this, as long as the pieces are big enough and don't break easily! Romaine preferably. I found these "crispy lettuce wraps" at Superstore, they're in the lettuce section- They are amazing! They keep in the fridge for much longer than regular lettuce, and they're crisp, firm and hold what you want them to hold without breaking- PERFECT! What we filled them with is probably my FAVOURITE veggie burger ever- its "Dr. Praegers" brand mexican veggie patties. You can buy these just about anywhere these days. Moderately expensive, unless your like me and stock up in the states :) Honestly they are the healthiest thing you could eat. Nothing artificial, all vegetables, and SO DELICIOUS. Oh and did I mention only 2 points each! I stirfried some frozen artichokes and onion with a bit of garlic, chopped some tomato, and put it all in the lettuce wrap. This made so many wraps I was eating for ages. And at the end of the day dinner was again, only 3 points total. Season with any burger type condiments, seasoning, and voila! The carb-free healthy alternative. Thanks for the patience with me uploading recipes, trust me, as soon as this cleanse is over and I get back to eating more of my regular food, the pictures/recipes will come!! Sorry about the weird formatting for this one, I'll try and fix this problem.

Moderation, not Deprivation!

As many of you that know me are aware, Im a Weight Watchers devotee! I had been on and off going for years. Just over 2 years ago, I joined once again, and this time I was for real! I've been successful over the  past 2 years, currently totalling 57 pounds of weight gone, and still going. (My goal is for 61) This is not to say that its been all sunshine and lollipops, because sometimes you don't lose anything, and sometimes you gain, and sometimes you have a great loss. The one thing I can say is that I've honestly NEVER felt deprived. Your mind makes you think that you need more food than your stomach requires. I believe that when your accustomed to eating such large amounts, your stomach is actually expanded, and requires more. But after a few days of eating "normal" sized portions, your stomach shrinks down, and you actually become less hungry. One thing I often notice, is that if I eat food late at night, I wake up STARVING, yet if I have nothing to eat for hours before I go to bed, I wake up and don't feel hungry at all. Sounds a bit off, but its true.
Anyway, not to be a Weight Watchers spokesperson over here ( yes I did briefly work for them ) But I love the program, the flexibility it has, and how it really just teaches you that you can still lose weight, while enjoying the foods you love. I also want to point out, that for anyone who is interested in weight watchers or is currently on the program, I am NOT on the new "points plus" program. I did give it a try, but was not a fan, and still use their old point system. *If you are to go to weight watchers now, the system they use is a different one than I do, but the idea remains the same. Please feel free to ask me about the differences if you are wondering about it*
 As they would always say, its not about deprivation, its about moderation. And its so true. I think that we all KNOW the basics on how to lose weight, and be healthy, its just sometimes hard to get there. I mean, really its just simple, you read it everywhere. Calories in vs. Calories out.
One of the major things I want to emphasize is that its completely 100% mental. ANY one can lose weight. I don't care what your situation is or how busy you are, anyone can do it. Whatever you believe will happen, will happen. A dear friend of mine once introduced me to the book "The Secret" I never actually read the book myself, but was told lots of the information from it, and the general idea is clear- YOU CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions.
Take me as an example, Ive never been an exerciser. And by this I mean, you'll never catch me hitting up the gym for 2 hours a day 5 days a week.  But, this is not to say that I sit around all day. Im constantly on the go, running around and go for walks/jogs/hikes when I can. I virtually lost the entire 57 pounds without any legitimate gym-time. So that just goes to show you, there really is no excuse why you can't lose weight. If I can do it sans-gym, so can you. (note again, I was never sedentary, but my "exercise" came in different forms)
The basic concept of weight watchers is this: You are allowed a certain amount of "points" every day, which is based on a number of factors including your age, sex, height, current weight, and activity level. Once you are given this number, you are to stick to this amount of points each day. This amount is what you will eat to LOSE weight. Trust me, its not a starvation diet, in fact its not a diet at all. Its simply healthy living.
The other is tracking.
TRACKING TRACKING TRACKING.
Every bite I eat, I write down. I minus each item from my daily total, until I get to 0.
For times when you want to indulge, you are also given weekly "bonus points"  which makes the program even more livable.
Some people, including my own mother, believe its too much effort or work to write down what you eat. Trust me, as a busy person who has many things on the go, I can honestly say that it takes me about 5 seconds to write down what I just ate. I think that writing things down, as many others will tell you about losing weight, is that its crucial. You must be accountable for what goes into your body. It is so very easy to lose track of what you eat in a day, I think I'd forget what I had for a snack this morning if I hadn't written it down! Either way, it keeps you on track because you know exactly where your at with your points, and allows you to plan accordingly.
Planning is a whole other subject in regards to healthy eating, which I will get into later :)
Hope this gives you a bit of a intro on my WW terminology, so you won't be thrown off when you see everything referred to in "points" values :)

PS. The tools used for calculating points are these:
A points "slider" which is a paper that slides and calculates points based on
CALORIES, FAT, AND FIBER.
You can also download apps on your iPhone which will allow you to do these on your phone, discreetly. I believe mine is called iwatchbites
The other tool is a book which has all the points values of foods that do NOT have a nutrition label on them, such as apples.
Small-Med apples are 1 point each. Just sayin' !

Goodnight All!

Its a Christmas Miracle!

Okay, its not a Christmas miracle, but its a miracle none the less.

Yes, my absolute favourite and best low-calorie food discovery is called... wait for it...

House Foods, "TOFU SHIRATAKI NOODLES"

What is this you may ask?

The best thing to ever happen to a calorie countin', wheat and dairy free girl such as myself!

So the details on these things: they sell them in more and more places now, where you buy them depends on how much they cost, I buy them at a place on 14th and lonsdale called "Anna's Produce" and they are $1.69 each. This is the lowest price I've seen them. At other places (such as Osaka, Thrifies, SuperValu) they are about $2.29 per package. 

But either way, worth it for sure!

They come in 3 varieties, Spaghetti, Fettucine, or Angel Hair.

So the nutrition information is as follows:

The entire bag is 40 calories- YES, you read correctly, 40 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 6 grams of carbs. This is a far cry from the hundreds of calories regular pasta contains.

Basically, you can eat as much as you want and you won't ever get fat, pretty sure its a secret of the people of asian countries.

The only ingredients are tofu, and yam flour. so pretty much anyone can eat these, and as they state on the package, they are gluten-free :) *Waring- for anyone who hasn't tried these before do not be alarmed by the scent of them when you first open the bag- they are in a liquid that smells ( yes, kind of fishy) but you simply rinse them, as directed, and voilà!

I like to do a variety of things with these noodles, from eat them alone with a bit of soy sauce, to making pasta dishes, stirfrys, you name it. I will add recipes which contain these noodles, so now you know a bit ( or a lot ) about them !

PS for anyone who is doing Weight Watchers, wether you are on the new points plus program or the old points program (like me), the entire package of noodles is FREE! 0 points for the whole bag, you really can't go wrong!

I will go into much more detail about Weight Watchers, as many people who know me will know, Im a LIFER! I write everything I eat down, and love it. Feel free to ask me questions about this as well, but I will write more about it!

So, to sum up, tofu noodles are the best thing to happen to the world (in my humble opinion) and  tons of my recipes will be added shortly to my Facebook page (Low-Cal Livin') as well as on here. 

Cant wait to get more info out to you guys!

Have some Kabocha why Dontcha

Okay- one of my favourites.
KABOCHA SQUASH!
Somewhat of an un-known squash, its that weird bumpy round green one that you seen in stores, and probably never think to pick up and try! The main reason I love this squash so much is the similarity in the consistency to potatoes. Roasted potatoes ( major carbicide ) where one of my weaknesses, but since discovering kabocha squash, I'm quite satisfied with sticking to this healthier, lower-calorie option.
Normally I will cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and season with greek (or any other) seasoning, place upside down in some water and stick in the oven. Often times this method will work, but others leaves it much too watery if you don't have just the right amount of water in the pan. I prefer this to be more firm and potato like, so yesterday I figured, why even bother adding the water!
I cut the squash into small cubes, and tossed in some butter flavour oil spray (0 cals), braggs sauce, and seasonings (such as fajita, chilies, and italian) I put in the oven on roast for 25 minutes and BAM! the most delicious version of kabocha I had ever had!
It amazes me that I hadn't tried roasting it before, it turns out so much better, and so satisfying!
Normally what I add to it is greek seasoning, a bit of Kraft Italian fat free salad dressing, and some rice vinegar. That would be my perfect meal :)
The one downside is that its more prep, as the squash is quite firm and hard to cut, but if you have a good knife you should be set!
I usually don't stray from my beloved kabocha, but other squash that I love is spaghetti squash. Being allergic to wheat, and a former pasta LOVER( mind you these where in my fatter days) I was always looking for ways to eat the foods I love, just modified. Seasoning the spaghetti squash (with again, greek *yes i put this seasoning on EVERYTHING*) and adding some low calorie pasta sauce, my favourite being Classico tomato basil at only 50 calories per 1/2 cup serving(and did I mention this sauce is acceptable on the cleanse? Score!), this is really a delicious alternative! Oh and I forgot to mention, I also put the kraft fat free italian (5 calories per serving) and rice vinegar on absolutely everything as well :)
If you are like me, and don't want to full give up those foods you love, stay tuned because all I know in this life is how to substitute!! Next up... probably the best discovery I've came across yet- and absolutely NO GUILT!!!
Goodnight, I am off to make lunches, and get ready for the day ahead- yes, my first day back at school in about 2 years! Slightly nervous, but Im lucky I only have one class tomorrow, 2 classes Thursday, and then  I have Fridays off! Yeah, I really can't complain about that schedule :)

Headache

As day 2 on the cleanse comes to an end, I can definitely say Im not feeling so good.
As the instruction pamphlet that accompanies the cleanse kit explains, things usually get worse before they get better. This basically is all the bad, toxic things that were in your body (aspartame, alcohol, nicotine, whatever it may be) coming out. This is obviously a good thing, but Im feeling extremely tired, and this headache has been lingering for hours! Its expected these "detoxing" symptoms only last the first few days, so I'll stick it out. I just don't remember having such a headache last time I did it, although this time, I know for a fact, that there is a LOT worse things to detox from :p
Being a regular coffee/diet pop drinker (Im always filling myself up on 0 calorie beverages) I have to say that my placement of a flat of diet pop right down my hallway has become quite the..temptation. I think those are going to have to go into hiding tonight!
I actually recently had found out through a friend about a diet pop called "zevia" that is made from stevia. Thats right- 0 calories and NO ASPARTAME! All  my friends are constantly on my back about how bad aspartame is for me, and that I shouldn't drink diet pop, and I know they're right.. But now I can say AH HA! They come in a variety of flavours, although here in Canada I've only come across 3 (cola, root beer, and cream soda) sold at save on foods. (I highly recommend the root beer over the other flavours)
Im going to the states tomorrow where the diet products are aplenty! So I hope to be able to pick some up in other flavours, even though I can't drink them for 10 more days.. On second thought maybe I'll wait on that one!
Stevia is an all natural plant based sweetener, that is 0 calories, and sold in health food stores, and more recently pretty much all supermarkets. Im a huge fan of this, as I use it to sweeten my coffee, in baking, and I don't have to feel guilty!
Not to mention.. as good as diet products with aspartame TASTE...they eventually don't make you FEEL very good..
Somehow because Im eating so healthy, I kind of feel like I want more food...snacking-wise.. So I split a huge bowl of popcorn seasoned with dill and braggs(another natural seasoning sauce similar to soy sauce but not fermented) which seemed to do the trick..for now. Man do I want a COFFEE!!!
Actually, you are allowed a max of 2 cups of coffee a day, but considering I wouldn't be able to sweeten it.. I may pass. Plus I think it would be good to really cut out all my "habit" type things in my life and see how much of it I can live without after the 12 days are over.
Well, Im off, headache and all, to rest in preparation for tomorrows day of shopping in the states (BEST FOOD shopping by far in comparison to Canada) and you know, a little retail therapy before I start school!
Tah!

Cleanse...Day 2

Well Hello Hello!
This is my first post on here, and it just so happens that I am doing a cleanse right now. Im doing the Wild Rose Cleanse, and this is my 3rd time doing it. I have so many low-calorie recipes, tips and what not, but  I guess I'll be mainly talking about the cleanse for the next...11.5 days :p. I think its been 3 times in one year I've done this one, and usually I do it when my body is practically BEGGING me to.
This summer has been probably the best summer of my life so far, and the effects of that are now apparent! Over consumption of things like alcohol...diet pop( my weakness ) and lack of sleep have taken a toll on me, so its time to get back into tip top shape and health by starting this school year off with a full 12 day cleanse.
This one I find pretty easy to follow, I don't know if thats because its my third time doing it, or I've just gotten more creative! Last time I did it, I purchased the wild rose cleanse cook book (I'd highly suggest it, its about $12) It gave me SO many ideas for meals and dips etc, that I would have never otherwise thought of!
If you aren't familiar with the cleanse, basically you take a variety of supplements each day, that are included in the kit you purchase. There is a detailed list of which foods you can eat, and which are off limits. At first glance, you'd probably think that there is NO WAY you can do this, but you can. You feel so much better afterwards, your skin is better, you feel lighter, healthier, and you usually lose a few pounds (I've heard some cases of people losing much more)
Id say that in general I eat pretty darn healthy.. Mostly fruit, vegetables, and protein. (of course with the occasional indulgence) but the food I'm allowed right now are certain fruit, vegetables, protein, and grains. So really not far off from the usual. Its the sauces/ condiments/ seasoning that is the hard part!(for me at least) NO sugar in any way shape or form. so that includes added sugar in almost about every possible seasoning you can buy. Including my FAVOURITE...greek seasoning.
So I hit up costco and found one that has no added sugar, which works for the cleanse. Lets hope I don't get too sick of it..
Salad dressing is another one.. you have to make your own. The cook book has lots of ideas for this. I blend light tofu with chives green onion garlic and lemon juice, with seasoning, to create a "creamy" dressing. Its not bad, you can also add any other thing you may want, to change the flavour. Tomato juice is a good one too.
If anyone wants more details about the cleanse, I can post a list of acceptable and not acceptable foods :) just leave a comment !
During this summer I've really got creative with low calorie meals. I realized that the amount of food you eat is SO MUCH MORE than you really need. You can really stretch your calories to be able to eat a large quantity of food, with hardly any guilt.
I'll go more into detail about the types of things I eat, low-calorie meals, tips etc, when the cleanse is done ( so I don't have to drool on my keyboard about the things that i CANT eat right now.
One other thing, I have allergies to wheat and dairy, so there will be lots ...make that all of my recipes will NOT include these ingredients. But they aren't that good for you anyways :p